More Tales From the Infirmary
by FeeBe
Summary: Neville sorts out his priorities. Ginny thinks about what she wants in life. And Harry shares more of his experiences. Sequel to Tales from the Infirmary Trick or Treat Challenge- Grangers- word - priorities


Madame Pomfrey had Neville sorted out in short order. His cuts were mended, and his bruises tended. Then he was sent for a shower, given a vial of Dreamless sleep and ordered to use it. Apparently the Mediwitch thought that seeing one of your good friends apparently dead, then resurrected and to top it all off being set on fire by a Dark Wizard wasn't conducive to a good night's sleep. Neville snorted, tonight every one was so exhausted! Tonight there would be no problem sleeping. It was later, after their bodies had recovered a bit that they would have the energy to start processing what had happened to them, that the nightmares would begin.

He stared across at the bed where Harry lay sleeping, giving off the occasional snuffle. To be quite frank it was adorable.

Neville sighed and rolled onto his back. He wondered what his Grandmother would say. The pull was stronger now than it had been all year, but it would have to wait, he doubted Harry could even define one separate ache from all the pains in his body just yet. Broken bones from Voldemort throwing him in the air! And he had still gotten up again, protected them all and continued the fight to the end.

Certainly, Augusta would have no doubts about the integrity of his mate, it was just that they were both male. That in itself wasn't a problem. It was just the providing suitable Heirs bit. Though, he thought he had heard Harry tell Andromeda that he was going to name young Edward Tonks as the Black Heir, after reinstating Andromeda of course. That still left two Heirships to fill. Potter and Longbottom, each with an honourable and proud history. It left a hole that his Grandmother would insist be filled and soon now they were both of age! There were ways of course. Surrogacy and adoption being the two light options. He doubted that Harry would ever consider the ritual that would enable one of them to bare their own children, it being dark in nature, though maybe he could be convinced. The ritual that Lily had done, stopped death and therefore clearly wasn't light, there must have been some sort of blood magic involved. Neville supposed it could have been a charm, apparently Lily had excelled at those, if it was there should still be some evidence in the house, assuming that the ministry hadn't stripped it of its contents.

However, a discussion on children was a while off yet, let alone one on rituals of dubious legality. It was all about priorities. His Grandmother's would be first and foremost, about the continuation of the line. Neville's would be putting Harry first. It was more than passed time that someone made Harry their primary priority.

Harry, who having grown up in the muggle world had probably never even heard of Soulmates before! Was it ok in the Muggle world for two guys to be together? Would Harry accept it? Soulmates! It did sound kind of like the stories that the muggles ready their children. What were they? That's right, Hannah who knew because of her muggleborn father, had told him, Fairy Tales. Neville snorted. Fairies could barely communicate let alone speak enough to tell a story. He wondered how that discrepancy had happened.

It would all wait though, his first priority was Harry's wellbeing. So firstly they would need to sort out living arrangements. There was no way he was going back to those….those _muggles_! Suddenly it was easy to see how Riddle had got such traction in his cause. Yes first a place to live, well no actually! First treating Harry's wounds, new and pre-existing though that was well in hand really, and then a place to live. Once that had been secured then Harry could rest for a bit. Taking the time to build up a relationship with Andromeda and young Edward, and hopefully with Neville too.

Then they could plan a future, hopefully together, though Neville was aware that Harry might need some time to come around to the idea of Soulmates and to adjust to everything that had happened to him. He'd died! For Merlins sake, he'd actually died. It was enough to bring tears to Neville's eyes. After all Harry had done, he'd still made the ultimate sacrifice for the Wizarding world. With stomach clenching Neville wondered if Harry had even wanted to come back, with his Parents, Godfather, Remus and Tonks all on the other side it must have been so tempting to stay.

Neville took deep cleansing breaths and looked at the adjacent bed, noting the rise and fall of the chest. It was ok, no matter how hard the choice was Harry had come back. Now he just needed to be given a reason to stay.

So then after all that was achieved… then they could start planning for children and the continuation of the line. That is if Harry agreed with it all. Neville rolled back onto his side, to stare at the dark-haired boy in the next bed. He watched the rise and fall of Harrys chest counting the breaths until he was lulled to asleep.

Harry was still sleeping when Neville woke, the privacy ward had dissolved sometime during the night and now his bed was surrounded by most of a family of red-heads, not forgetting the one brunette. Ginny was sat in a chair and was clutching Harry's hand tightly. Coaxing him to wake up.

"Why isn't he waking," she howled suddenly.

The disturbance was enough to wake the midi-witch.

"What is going on out here?" she demanded as she emerged from her rooms, tying an overrode around her waist.

"Nothing Poppy dear," Molly placated. "We were just waiting for Harry to wake up so that we can take him home."

"But he won't wake," Ginny cried. "What's wrong with him? Wake up Harry, please wake up." She threw her upper body across his and wept.

"Nothing is wrong with him. I gave him dreamless sleep. With his low body weight and the dose I gave him he won't wake for hours yet. And I suggest you act in a more seemly fashion young lady, hop off him, his ribs are fragile and I don't want them broken…..again!"

Ginny humphed and returned to her chair, still clutching Harry's hand.

"Well I guess we'll just wait then," Molly said as all of the Weasleys began to make themselves comfortable.

"You'll have to leave," Poppy told them flatly. "He won't be going anywhere today or tomorrow and I can't have you just hanging around here. I'm expecting, those who went to St Mungos and got triaged with minor injuries to start arriving," she cast a spell and some shining numbers appeared in the air, "in the next half hour. You'll excuse me I must get ready!" Poppy turned and left.

"Well I'm not going anywhere. I'm his girlfriend so I deserve to stay," Ginny pouted, crossing her arms and legs.

Hermione just looked at her curiously, "Yesterday Harry said that he wasn't going to go out with you. That he needed to sort himself out after everything that happened. You said you understood."

Ginny snorted, "That's just what I said yesterday." Neville suppressed a growl. "He's just being silly. We're meant to be together anyone can see that just look at us."

George laughed, "Yeah you look just like his parents. 'Cause every guy wants to date his mother!"

"Why is that so funny?" Ginny snapped.

Molly shook her head and sighed, "Oh Ginny dear. I think Hermione is right. Something horrible happened to Harry in that forest, even without everything else that happened, he may be a completely different person now. I know you've dreamed that you'd be together again, and I encouraged you. Perhaps I shouldn't have. Have you thought that you've changed this year as well?"

Ginny opened her mouth to rebut her mother's statement and then closed it again with a snap.

"Honestly what were you expecting of a life together? Hmm," Charlie prompted.

"Well we'll get married and have kids and Harry will go to work as an Auror and we'll…live…happily….ever…after," she finished lamely.

"Oh Ginny," Hermione said sadly. "I don't think Harry is going to be an Auror. After all this I think he has done enough fighting."

"But we said we'd…." Ron began to protest.

"Yeah, and Harry's changed now. You didn't see what he was like all those nights in the tent, the nightmares! Ron he wasn't even bothered by the fact that we had no food. He always made sure I had the larger portion. 'I'm used to it' he'd say," Hermione had tears in his eyes. "Hasn't he done enough?"

"Yeah, he has," Ron agreed solemnly and drew her into a hug. "I'm not sure that being an auror sounds all that great myself, now that I think about it."

"Good," Hermione responded, hugging him fiercely. "I couldn't bare it if anything happened to you."

Ginny watched them for a moment, "He said he wanted to spend some time with Teddy. So he wants children so we'll have kids and….."

"Ginny," Charlie spoke. "You guys have told me how he was raised, right?" She nodded. "I know a couple of people on the reserve who had similar upbringings and all of them are there because they don't want kids, and they don't want to have families. They want to be alone, even years later they don't trust people. They come to the reserve because they feel safer there than they do in a town. On top of that they feel like they would hurt or damage a child because all they have ever know as a child was pain and suffering. I'm sure as with all things that not all people who have gone through those experiences feel that way but now that he is old enough to get out of there, there is no guarantee that Harry won't feel that way."

"But Teddy," she protested.

"But Teddy is already here, and will be living primarily living with Andromeda. So Harry's role as Godparent will be completely different to that of a parent. Besides weren't you saying you wanted to play quidditch?"

Ginny nodded, "Now that war is over. It might be possible to have scouts come to the school games again."

"If you get in, you'll spend all your time in training or travelling to matches. When are you going to have time for Harry and children? It might be years till you retire."

"Oh," Ginny considered. "I really hadn't thought of that. Do you…..do think he'd still talk to me if we don't…you know?"

George wrapped an arm around his sister, "This is Harry of course he will. He'll probably be the best big brother you've ever had. He's about the only one who can come close to matching you at Quidditch, so I have no doubt he'll help you train, the minuet you hear about a scout coming to Hogwarts."

"Right," said Charlie, abruptly changing the subject. "I have no wish to be on Madame Pomfrey's bad side, so I suggest we all get out of here, before she comes back."

Poppy stuck her head back around the door, "Have they gone yet?"

Neville sniggered, "It wasn't all bad."

"Hmmm, they need to sort out Ginervra! Why she didn't have mind healing after her second year, I'll never know. I recommended it."

"Well they seem to have talked her out of pursuing Harry at any rate."

Madame Pomfrey seemed surprised, "Really? Good, I was worried, she just seemed to focus on him too much. Every time she was in here this year she would talk about how Harry was going to come and rescue her and how it would all be better once he came back. I suppose you'll be pleased then," she said slyly.

"What….How do you know?"

"Oh please I've been in this job long enough to recognise the signs. Besides there's a spell for that. Don't you be listening to your Grandmother on the topic either. Just wait and be patient and…."

There was a groan from the next bed, and a thump as Harry rolled over. Madame Pomfrey check the time again.

"Hmm a little early but not bad for him." She bustled off to get Harry his morning dose of potions.

Harry blinked a green eye against the light, and then peered around the room, squinting in an attempt to see.

"You know now that you are old enough, you might be able to get your eyes fixed," Neville said as he rolled out of bed, picked Harry's glasses up off the bedside table and smoothly slid them into place.

Harry blinked again, "Morning Nev. What's that about my eyes?"

Neville was struck for a minute by just how green Harry's eyes were and what they would look like if they weren't obscured by glass, "Oh, um, there's some treatments for eyes available these days that weren't around 20 years ago. You can only have them once you are are of age, but it might be worth considering, if you want to be rid of the glasses."

"That'd be a relief actually, the number of times they nearly slipped off during the battle! It could have all ended up very differently if I'd lost them."

"How are you feeling this morning, Mr Potter?" Madame Pomfrey asked as she returned to his bedside.

Harry frowned, "I thought we got over all that formality yesterday. Can't you call me Harry?"

"Well that depends, are you intending to return to Hogwarts next year?"

"Next year why would I?"

"You still have your Newts to sit Harry," Neville reminded him. "I'm thinking about it myself, we didn't exactly cover the normal curriculum this year."

"Oh, I hadn't thought about it," Harry finally said.

"Well until you do I will assume that you are and hence we are back to Mr Potter." She grinned as she handed him the first of the potions.

Harry sighed as he swallowed it without complaint. Ten minutes and six potions later they were done.

"Breakfast will be along shortly," Madame Pomfrey said as she turned away.

"I thought you said you were expecting the overflow from St Mungos this morning?" Neville enquired.

Poppy grinned vindictively, "Yes well, it may have escaped your notice Mr Longbottom, but this is a school! While I am completely qualified to do my job I don't have endless supplies or any assistance. Not to mention the school is currently in a complete state of disrepair with only this wing being preserved. There was no way the hospital was sending anyone here, that was merely a ruse." With that she returned to her office.

"Who knew Madame Pomfrey was a Slytherin?" Neville asked Harry.

Harry laughed a little bitterly.

"Oi, what's that about Harry?"

"Do you think all Slytherins are so bad Nev?"

Neville looked at Harry, sitting down into the chair that Ginny had sat in earlier.

"Do I think that all Slytherins are bad? Harry I'm not Ron."

"Well I know that!"

"Good. No I don't. Harry, it was….it was bedlam here this last year. It was very difficult to know who we could trust and who would rat us out to the Carrows. We had some surprising assistance from the Slytherins at times, including their prefects when they were able. Equally surprising were the times that a Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw set us up to be discovered. So no they aren't all bad."

Something in Harry seemed to relax, "I was almost in Slytherin," he whispered.

"What?"

"The sorting hat. It wanted to place me in Slytherin, but I'd met Malfoy and didn't want to go. I expect now that it was because of the Horcrux but still, there were times when I needed to be cunning just to….." Harry swallowed and looked away, "At the Dursley's."

Neville reached out and squeezed Harry's forearm, "You did what you needed to to survive Harry, and I for one am glad that you did."

Harry thought for a moment, "No Gryffindors betrayed you then?"

"Not a one," Neville stated proudly.

Harry looked thoughtful, "After third year did I ever tell you about my Godfather?"

Neville shook his head, "Not that I can recall."

"My Godfather was Sirius Black."

"Oh that's right from the ministry!"

"Yeah, he came to rescue us."

"I'm guessing he wasn't actually the one to betray you and your parents then."

"Nah, there were four of them. My Dad, Sirius, Remus Lupin…."

"Our Defence teacher from third year?"

"Yeah. And Peter Pettigrew. They were the best of friends. At some point the three others discovered that Remus was a werewolf and decided to become Animagi so that they could stay with him on the full moon. It seemed that nothing could seperate them. But Peter, got scared and I don't know why but instead of turning to his friends he turned to Voldemort. He made them doubt each other, telling them each stories about how another had done something that was suspicious. Then when he had been made the secret keeper he told Voldemort pretty much straight away. He was a Gryffindor."

"I guess that's the thing Harry. It isn't the house your sorted into that makes you a good or bad person it's just who you are."

"I wonder if it's the way you're raised to be," Harry mused,

"Why do you think that?"

"Look at Malfoy," Harry started. "No look at Voldemort."

"Voldemort!" Neville was surprised.

"Yeah, he was raised in an orphanage in London. It was a poor orphanage and he was treated with fear, muggles not being equiped to deal with a magical child. So that by the time that Dumbledore appeared to tell him about Hogwarts he had developed the nasty habit of deliberately scaring the other children and taking their belongings. However who is to say that that wasn't a reflection of life in the orphanage. During the muggles Second World War most of the children in London were evacuated or farmed out to the various places in the countryside, for some reason the orphanage where he was staying didn't so in the summers after his first, second and possibly third years he returned to the orphanage a place that he was treated with fear and loathing and was in the midst of being bombed."

"Ah Harry, what's that mean?" Neville asked.

"They dropped bombs from aeroplanes," Neville still looked confused. "Right, um, muggles have these machines that fly they are capable of travelling large distances through the air and can carry large loads or even people. During this time they were used to carry a device that when it hit the ground acted like twenty bombards maximas cast at the same time."

"That's horrific?"

"I'm sure it was," Harry agreed. "So Voldemort was raised never knowing love or kindness, only fear and hate. How could he learn anything else unless someone took the time to show him. But they never did, they left him there and sent him back year after year."

"Just like you Harry," Neville said.

"Yeah, just like me." Harry went to turn away from his friend, but Neville grabbed his arm and stopped him.

"Don't Harry. I just meant that the Wizarding World doesn't manage orphans particularly well, even sort of orphans," he gave a half smile. "So what made you different than Harry?"

"I don't know," the smaller boy shrugged. "Maybe some part of me remembered Mum and Dad and their sacrifice. Maybe Mum's protection meant I could feel that she had loved me. Certainly once I got told what happen I knew how much they had loved me. Possibly he had impaired emotional processing because he was born of a love potion."

"He was what?"

"Born of a love potion, his mother potioned his Dad and tricked him into marrying her, but stopped once she was pregnant. He then left and she was left alone to carry the child and ended up in London alone, where she gave birth to Tom before dying."

"Who knows what affect being conceived under a love potion could have on a child." Harry nodded. "How do you know this?"

"Most if it was from memories Dumbledore showed me sixth year and some of it is what he assumed at the time. Some of it of course is Hermione's and my deduction from our Muggle history classes."

"So what's your plan now?"

"Now?" Harry rubbed the centre of his chest while he mused. "Once Madame Pomfrey lets me go, I'll have to go to Gringotts and talk to the Goblins. Hopefully that will mean that there is a house there somewhere that we can use to stay in."

"We?" Neville couldn't help the slight curious inflection that infected his voice.

"Yeah. Andromeda and Teddy and I. We could stay at Grimmauld place, the Black townhouse in London, but it needs lots of work. What about you?"

"Well I guess my Grandmother and I will return home and then I'll come back and help with the restoration of Hogwarts I suppose."

"I bet you put the Greenhouses back together better than they have ever been Nev. So you're definitely coming back next year?"

"Yeah. Are you considering returning?"

"I don't know Nev. This was my home for so long and now it has been tainted. I'm not sure I'll ever get over dying in the woods. I just don't know what to do or who I am. I'm still so tired. So I think I'll rest first and get to know Andromeda and Teddy and then maybe study at home for my Newts or maybe…" he looked around the room. "I've always felt comfortable here, maybe I could do Newts part time and Madame Pomfrey could teach me how to be a mediwizard. Is that even how they get qualified in the Wizarding world?"

"They take an apprenticeship. So yeah, you could ask Madame Pomfrey."

"Neville?"

"Yeah Harry."

"Do you know why my chest stops aching when you touch me?"

It was unexpected, Harry had asked the question so innocuously, Neville worried that Harry wasn't truly ready for the answer.

"Umm, Harry," he began uncertainly. "What do you know about Soulmates?"


End file.
